Walk-behind power machines such as wide-area lawn mowers have been in use for years. These mowers generally include a frame having an engine that powers driven wheels as well as a cutting deck. Rearwardly extending handlebars are typically provided to permit operator control of the mower. By selectively manipulating controls on the handlebars, the operator can control the direction and speed of the mower. These walk-behind mowers provide potential advantages over conventional riding mowers including, for example, simpler operation, lower operating cost, higher maneuverability, and smaller size.
While effective, operation of walk-behind mowers may, in certain circumstances, result in premature operator fatigue due to the need to continually walk behind the mower at what is often considered a brisk pace. In the commercial landscape and lawn care business, it is not uncommon to operate these mowers in excess of eight hours per day.
To alleviate operator fatigue, sulkies may be used. Sulkies are typically configured as a trailered apparatus which connects to a frame of the lawn mower. The operator may then ride on a platform of the sulky, thereby eliminating the need to constantly walk during operation.
While conventional sulkies may advantageously reduce operator fatigue, many designs have drawbacks. For example, it is sometimes desirable that a lawn mower be able to easily revert to a walk-behind configuration for certain mowing conditions. However, many sulkies are not designed for easy removal, resulting in time-consuming actions to detach/re-attach the sulky. Other configurations provide walk-behind capability by repositioning the sulky to an inoperative position without removing the sulky from the mower. Such sulkies, however, typically require secondary mechanisms, e.g., chains or the like, that must be separately attached to the mower in order to secure the sulky in the desired position.
Still further, many prior art sulkies require periodic maintenance to ensure operating effectiveness. For example, conventional pneumatic sulky tires are subject to leaks and flats, resulting in undesirable mower down-time. Further, for example, operation of sulkies in wet areas may result in excessive mud and debris collection on the tread of the tire. This debris may eventually interfere with tire rotation (e.g., locking of the tire), which may result in turf damage.